It was only a few months ago that Google finally updated its long-neglected News and Weather app, sometimes called the Genie widget because of the package name. Today there's already a sizeable update for the app that brings a new dark theme, material animations, search, and more.

What’s New

The APK is down below for you to grab, but here's what you can expect when you update.

The dark UI is pretty slick, and it's much easier on the eyes in a dark room. The new theme is accompanied by material flourishes throughout the app. The refresh spinner, hamburger icon, and overscroll all fit better with the Lollipop aesthetic. The new weather charts can be found in the expanded weather section at the top. The chart UI is laid out as a series of tabs that better accommodate the new graphs. We're still poking around to see if there's anything else new in the update.

Download

The APK is signed by Google and upgrades your existing app. The cryptographic signature guarantees that the file is safe to install and was not tampered with in any way. Rather than wait for Google to push this download to your devices, which can take days, download and install it just like any other APK.

Comments

Alexithymia

I thought Google was moving away from dark themes? Not that it's bad to have but just wondering.

JackPackage

Since it's optional and the white one is still the default, I think this is a good feature. I'm probably never gonna use it since I despise just dark interfaces but a lot of people go crazy on the blacks (that came out wrong:P), so this will finally stop their moaning and complaining all the time.

morteum

Well, in my opinion too much white is also kinda ugly, plus it's blinding at night. It looks good when combined with Material's bright colors though. If I could have it any way I would have both options in all of Google's apps (and make it part of material guidelines) and also incorporate an option to switch to dark mode once it got to a certain time. That would be amazing for late night use.

HarrisMirza

This should be implemented as a system wide switch for all material apps.

Of course - too much of any color is ugly. It has to be balanced... For me it's usually enough to turn down the brightness at night but that's just preference.

A global switch would be kinda cool though :)

Fatal1ty_93_RUS

The don't seem to be, if they were - Material design wouldn't have a dark theme at all unlike Holo AND we wouldn't see a dark material theme for the google keyboard, so they are definitely aren't moving away from that, but I do wish we had the simple built in toggling between dark and white color schemes

Cool

Oh, fuck yes! They added back the humidity and the wind speed and hour slider and added a dark theme.

Sure are taking their sweet ass time updating hangouts aren't they? Every other app has received multiple updates while hangouts is still rocking it's hideous material inspired holo ui and no tablet mode

Yeah YouTube too. But it doesn't bother me as much as its ui isn't ugly it's just not material. Hangouts looked good too until the voice update when they decided to make it look like it's using material when it actually doesn't

Sam Del Valle

Yeah. A lot of people argue that Hangouts is material...but its not. Its just..... Yeah.

Ryan

I'm actually not looking at it. Sounds petty but I only really use YouTube on mobile for the odd humerous video anyway so I've decided to just stop using it till its material.

Cool

This. I really wish that hangouts looked as good as the new messenger does.

I really hope we see an update either this week or next week. Also, YouTube.

Neil

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Cool

My one question is, can we have dark widgets too? That would be wonderful.

The new weather widgets aren't bad looking. But I miss the darker style from the older type

Sam Del Valle

There you go :)

Cool

Seriously. I'm really happy now.

Amazing what an update can do to an app, that improves my outlook on it. Cheers.

pfmiller

Thank god! I hate all the boxy white material designed widgets, they look hideous to me. Now if only calendar can revert to the nice looking widget it used to have I'll be a happy man.

Fatal1ty_93_RUS

Seriously I think Google should include the dark theme option in all of their apps, I love lollipop but jesus christ, it's so bright now that there are bright themes everywhere, can't help but use the adaptive brightness these days :/

brkshr

I posted something similar before I saw your post. I went a step further and said that the OS should have a light & dark theme. Then apps could either use the OS default or you could select a light or dark theme. Similar to how most app notifications use the default sound, or you select your own.

sam

Only update I am looking for is "Cloud Print"

It crashes all the time on Nexus 6.

Brandon V. Fletcher

THIS. I dont know why it happens. I dont even use and it crashes at minimum once a day

Kesey

It's because you restored it from a previous phone. Go to Settings > Apps > Cloud Print and Clear Data/Cache.

Cool

There's a Search update too. I wonder if it will finally bring the material design version to the masses.

It would be really cool if it included Android KITT. Also, I just want to be able to hear my dictated messages read back to me before I send them.

NoBullet

Is this the first time any google app gave an option for dark theme?

Brandon V. Fletcher

Keyboard

brkshr

Google/Android should make a dark & light theme for the OS and all apps. Maybe in settings there could be a light or dark setting for the OS. Then apps could check this and either go with the OS 'default' or you could select 'light' or 'dark'.

How about being able to expand the weather widget to 5 x 1 so it looks symmetrical on the Nexus 6?

Matthew Fura

This a thousand time.. No idea why they can't simply make the widget re sizable. Would take all of a second for them to do.

Sharath

Niw give me a dark theme for Settings in Lollipop.

godutch

All the materiaal apps need a dark theme ( and android too) , especially since the new nexus has an amoled screen.

Art Ramirez

Yes, Google needs to release dark mode across all their apps and Lollipop as well.

SSyar

nothing for Xperia,.,. device !!

digiblur

Holy crap... I had to check to see if this was April 1st when I read the option about the dark theme. Google seems to be pandering to the iPhone switchers and going all bright white. It's blinding using your phone in the dark. Luckily Team Blackout mods Hangouts and several other apps for nice black backgrounds.

burner

omg, dark theme.....hope this is a trend.

NeilGeorge

Wish the widget would be a dark theme instead of white :P

Marc

It's got about a quarter of the features as the desktop site, awful app.

truepopo

ive said it before and ill say it again...both themes should be a mandatory option in every app and every os

my eyes cant handle the bright light...especially on my note 4. tweetcaster is ahead of the curve in giving people the option of color they feel best serves them